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And concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need of my writing to you, |
2. |
for yourselves have known thoroughly that the day of the Lord as a thief in the night doth so come, |
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for when they may say, Peace and surety, then sudden destruction doth stand by them, as the travail `doth' her who is with child, and they shall not escape; |
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and ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day may catch you as a thief; |
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all ye are sons of light, and sons of day; we are not of night, nor of darkness, |
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so, then, we may not sleep as also the others, but watch and be sober, |
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for those sleeping, by night do sleep, and those making themselves drunk, by night are drunken, |
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and we, being of the day -- let us be sober, putting on a breastplate of faith and love, and an helmet -- a hope of salvation, |
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because God did not appoint us to anger, but to the acquiring of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, |
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who did die for us, that whether we wake -- whether we sleep -- together with him we may live; |
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wherefore, comfort ye one another, and build ye up, one the one, as also ye do. |
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And we ask you, brethren, to know those labouring among you, and leading you in the Lord, and admonishing you, |
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and to esteem them very abundantly in love, because of their work; be at peace among yourselves; |
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and we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the infirm, be patient unto all; |
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see no one evil for evil may render to any one, but always that which is good pursue ye, both to one another and to all; |
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always rejoice ye; |
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continually pray ye; |
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in every thing give thanks, for this `is' the will of God in Christ Jesus in regard to you. |
19. |
The Spirit quench not; |
20. |
prophesyings despise not; |
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all things prove; that which is good hold fast; |
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from all appearance of evil abstain ye; |
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and the God of the peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved unblameably in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ; |
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stedfast is He who is calling you, who also will do `it'. |
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Brethren, pray for us; |
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salute all the brethren in an holy kiss; |
27. |
I charge you `by' the Lord, that the letter be read to all the holy brethren; |
28. |
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ `is' with you! Amen. |